We would like to take the opportunity to thank our community and school system for their support of our trip to Grand Rapids to perform in the eighth Michigan Music Conference.

Our performance was well-received by the discriminating audience, and is one that we will remember with fondness thanks to the generous support of the Tecumseh Public Schools, the Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation the Friends of Tecumseh Schools Orchestra, Brindamour Photography, Spectrum Printers, The Tecumseh Pops and Community Chorus, D&P Communications, First Federal Bank of Tecumseh, Hewlett Graphics and Wes and Theresa Powers, as well as the many donors who contributed to the orchestra the evening of the preview concert at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts.

It is truly a joy to work in a community that supports the arts, and we are very grateful to you for giving us the opportunity to showcase our students and community at this state conference.

Michael Bough

Tecumseh Symphony Orchestra director

Semi-automatic rifles are valid defense ‘arms’

To the editor,

In a calm, cool, collected and thoughtful way I would like to make three reasonable arguments in defense of “the people” owning guns including and specifically the controversial assault rifle. I myself own two semi-automatic AK47s. These assault rifles would have been banned under the 1994 assault rifle legislation.

Point 1. One of the arguments that anti-gun folks like to use is that guns were different way back when the Second Amendment was instituted. They also argue that the founders could not imagine the technology of the weaponry today and, if they could, they would not have agreed with their own amendment. False. The rifles that existed at that time were cutting edge and were top of the line when it came to technological advancements. Reason, the rifling of the barrels. This new technology allowed the rifles to fire more accurately from longer distances. This single advancement in weaponry is credited in a large part to our victory in the Revolutionary War.

The point is, you can’t accept musket for musket back then and not assault rifle for assault rifle now. It is actually the same.

Point 2. Anti-gun folks argue that the Second Amendment exists so people can hunt and target practice. False. The Second Amendment exists for those reasons plus protection of our person, our families and our property. It exists so that if we are attacked by a foreign force, the people can fight back immediately. It exists so that “we the people” can protect ourselves from domestic forces such as a tyrannical government like the one we have today here in these United States.

Page 2 of 2 - Point 3. A question you hear from anti-gun folks is “Why does the average guy need an assault rifle anyway?”

Many of the bad guys here in the United States possess “fully automatic” assault rifles, which are illegal. The assault rifles I own are semi-automatic. By obeying the law, I am already at a disadvantage should I be confronted with a criminal breaking into my home with a fully automatic weapon.

In closing I would like to add that because of our rights, freedoms and liberties (such as gun ownership) America became a great and different kind of country. It’s a country that people would be willing to risk everything and float across the ocean on a door to get here. We used to be the greatest country in the world because our government stayed out of the peoples’ business. This type of government intrusion only reduces its greatness.

A long time ago, someone I did not even know was willing to fight, kill and die for my right and his future countrymen’s right to bear arms. I also commit to the same standard to protect my right and my future countrymen’s right to bear arms. Including assault rifles.